


familial obligation

by youcouldmakealife



Series: between the teeth [18]
Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2015-08-07
Packaged: 2018-04-13 11:56:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4521039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youcouldmakealife/pseuds/youcouldmakealife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His father stands when he comes over, shakes his hand. “Dave,” he says. “It’s been too long.”</p><p>“Yeah,” David says. </p><p>“This is Lou,” his father says. “Heads up our New York offices. He’s a big hockey fan. Lou, my son Dave.”</p><p>“More of a Rangers fan, I’m afraid,” Lou says. He’s stood as well, offering his hand. “But you guys got close. Might put up a fight next year. It’d be nice to have some local competition other than the Whalers.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	familial obligation

Training in New York is as good an idea in practice as it is in theory. Kurmazov returns to Russia, but not until the beginning of July, and until then he’s not only willing to recommend his trainer to David, but willing to share him. Kurmazov’s slowing down, even from when David first met him, but he seems aware of that, and he’s trying to counter it, which David respects. It’s probably harder in your thirties. David doesn’t really know, but even now he’s slower to recover from injury than he was in Juniors. 

He already knows Kurmazov’s guy — he’s a Rangers assistant trainer who still takes on some work during the summer, and David likes that he knows David’s strengths and weaknesses already. He’s happy to take on David even when Kurmazov leaves the country, which solves the issue of a trainer, though he’d been given enough options it wasn’t much of an issue. New York’s hardly a small town. 

He likes Vladislav’s style, even the things that make more sense for Kurmazov’s size than David’s speed. It’s a useful lesson, and since Brouwer’s up on the free-agency chopping block, not one he’s likely to learn anywhere else. 

Jake’s been sending him texts intermittently and he’s responded when he has a moment, but he won’t let Jake be something he schedules his life around. He can’t. 

He feels like he’s in fighting shape by the beginning of June, and Vladislav still pushes him, hard, pushes until David almost asks him to stop, but never quite gets there.

It’s in June that Jake actually propositions him. David was serious about it being a bad idea to see Jake, though, so when Jake texts him with a _in nyc tomorrow n wens 4 media_ he first thoughtfully considers the fact that Jake may not actually know there’s a ‘d’ in Wednesday, and then puts his phone away for the next two days.

He can’t do the same with his father, unfortunately, who calls him, leaving a message that he’ll be in New York for a deposition, whatever that is, and that they should get a drink, just ‘father and son’. Usually those are limited to David’s one trip to Calgary every year, and he has time to prepare and curfew as an excuse to leave early, if earlier than curfew actually is. 

He’d say he was in Ottawa, but he doesn’t know if his parents are talking, and if they are, his father isn’t going to buy it. There’s no excuse involving training that can clear him for the night. He wasn’t supposed to have to do this until next February. 

There’s no getting out of it, really, so he goes to the restaurant his father told him to. It’s past seven, but still filled with businessmen. His father’s already at a table when David arrives, and when the hostess leads David over, David can see he’s not alone. 

His father stands when he comes over, shakes his hand. “Dave,” he says. “It’s been too long.”

“Yeah,” David says. 

“This is Lou,” his father says. “Heads up our New York offices. He’s a big hockey fan. Lou, my son Dave.”

“More of a Rangers fan, I’m afraid,” Lou says. He’s stood as well, offering his hand. “But you guys got close. Might put up a fight next year. It’d be nice to have some local competition other than the Whalers.”

David takes his hand, swallows back a bitter laugh, because of course he’s a Rangers fan. “Nice to meet you,” he says.

“You too, Dave,” Lou says, “Heard a lot about you, and your dad’s always a good time, shame he’s here in these circumstances.”

The two of them exchange a grimace. David looked up ‘deposition’ after his father mentioned it, and he knows what it means, but he doesn’t mention it. He knows they’ll start talking about it if he does, and the last thing he wants to talk about is lawyers right now, with Dave getting serious about talking about his contract options right now. It’s not lawyers, but lawyers are involved, and whenever they are David gets a headache.

The waitress comes by. She’s pretty, about David’s age, and both Lou and his father pay her more attention than David’s comfortable with. Lou’s got a wedding band on his finger, and David’s pretty sure his father’s still seeing the woman he took to the game the last time David played in Calgary, though it’s not like they talk about their romantic lives with one another. 

“I’ll have a glass of wine,” David says, when she asks. He’s never liked wine much, so it’s a good choice. Orders his entree while he’s at it.

“Red, white?” she starts. “Red is the best for your meal, but do you want something dry or — ”

David hesitates.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t learned that yet, bud,” his father says. “He’ll have the Masi.”

“Of course,” she says. “Perfect accompaniment with the beef.”

David still doesn’t know whether that’s red or white, but he supposes it doesn’t matter. He probably won’t like it either way. 

“Making more than me now, Dave,” his father says, once she’s gone. “Better learn your wines. You can afford them now.”

“Hockey players probably all drink beer,” Lou says. “That right, Dave?”

“Yes,” David says, fiddles with his napkin, the knife and fork folded inside. Wishes he had food to fiddle with instead, reminded of the dinner parties where he was abruptly sent to his room as soon as he was no longer cute, but actively hampering discussion. Wonders if he still is. Not cute, but someone who’s cutting off the conversation. He thinks his father’s making enough capital back on bringing him, regardless. It’s a cynical thought, but though he doesn’t understand most people, he does understand his father. This will buy his father credibility for months, even with those who don’t admire the NHL specifically, but professional sports in general. 

Dave’s the only reason David’s rights weren’t signed over to his parents, and for all Dave’s faults, David will keep him as his agent for his entire career, or whenever Dave retires, whichever comes first, just because Dave listened to what he wanted and tried to get it for him. David thinks there’s probably some kind of problem when no one cares that first and second pick are both your clients, but David’s money is in his account, one that no one has access to but him, and if that’s ungrateful, and he’s been told it is, he doesn’t care. It’s not like they need the money, anyway. David doesn’t either, but he earned it. It’s his.

David hates drinking with his father. It makes him bitter, and that’s not something he wants to be. He reminds himself that in less than twelve hours he’ll be sweating it out alongside Kurmazov, who will have plenty of stories about his daughters, the way he always does, but is content if David half listens. He’s proud of them. Even if it’s something like walking the first time, or saying a full sentence. The bar’s set pretty low. He doesn’t get why Kurmazov seems so proud of them when it’s hard to make him proud otherwise. Maybe it’s a parent thing. David doesn’t know. His parents don’t seem much impressed with him until someone else is. 

“Who’s your favourite Ranger?” Lou asks him.

“I don’t have one,” David says.

“Okay, who’s the biggest son of a bitch?” Lou says. David expects people to look over, since Lou’s not quiet, but no one seems to care.

“I don’t really hold grudges,” David says finally. Drake is the biggest son of a bitch, but he’s not saying anything to a Rangers fan.

“You Canadians,” Lou says. “You’re too nice.”

“Guilty as charged,” David’s father says.

“I need to use the bathroom,” David says, abrupt, goes and gets in a stall just to be able to rest his forehead against the metal, no matter how unhygienic that is. His last text from Jake was Jake telling him he was in town. Thankfully he’s left town by now so David can send him, _Dinner with executives_. 

_worst :(_ , Jake sends him before he’s left the bathroom, and while David didn’t exactly specify who he was referring to, it still makes him feel a little better.

When David gets back they’re in the midst of a discussion they cut off when he arrives, but David refuses to feel guilty about it because his father invited him. The wine’s arrived as well, red, and he takes a sip. It’s good, as far as wine goes, but it’s still too bitter on his tongue.

The meal arrives soon after, and most of the conversation is compliments to the chef and industry talk that David is not expected to follow.

“Another, Dave?” his father asks when the waitress returns halfway through the meal. David still has most of his glass. 

“No, I should stop now,” David says. “I have to get up early for training. I should head out after dinner.” It’s barely nine, but he can see they’re settling in, and there’d been a mostly empty bottle on the table when he arrived. He doesn’t want to get trapped between two drunk executives. The last time he did that it was his GM and his President, so he didn’t have much of a choice, but this time he’ll make his excuses. 

“C’mon, you can have more than one,” his father says. “We won’t tell.”

“Sorry,” David says. “Have a lot of early mornings if we want to put up a fight for the Rangers.”

Lou laughs, and his father joins in. “Good work ethic on you,” Lou says. “Must’ve got that from your dad, huh?”

“Sure,” David says. To be fair, he probably did. From both of his parents. 

“He’s a good one,” his father says. “Second overall, did you know?”

David takes a sip of wine.

“Yeah, sure,” Lou says, mouth full. David takes another sip. At this rate, the wine will be gone fast enough his father will insist he has another. He puts his glass down.

He carefully measures how much wine he has left, matches it with his meal, so that when he’s finishing his wine, his plate is cleared.

“I should go,” David says. “Training at six.” It starts at nine, though he does wake up at six.

“Crazier than the lawyers, even,” his father says. “Hey, you should pay, you’re the hockey hotshot.”

David reaches for his wallet.

“He’s kidding,” Lou says. “Don’t worry about it, kid. Just remember us when the season comes around, hey?”

David tries to think of why he’d need to remember Lou and his father, though he realises after a moment Lou likely means the company. If he ever knew the name of the company, he doesn’t now.

“Sure,” he says. “Of course. Thanks.”

His father stands for another handshake. “Great to see you,” he says. “When are you in Calgary?”

“February,” David says.

“Shame,” his father says, “Mira really wanted to see you. Keep in touch, bud.”

“Sure,” David says. He doesn’t remember if Mira is his father’s assistant or latest girlfriend, but either way, she probably doesn’t care.

He takes a cab home, takes a beer from the fridge, even though he does have training. He needs one.

 _They kept calling me Dave_ , he sends Jake, devoid of context again.

 _wtf even i wudnt do that_ , Jake sends back, and David smiles simply because that’s true.


End file.
